Wheatbelt Rock- Community Monitoring Manual A scat-based monitoring program established by WWF-

CONTENTS

Introduction & objective ...... 1

Volunteer registration & insurance ...... 2

Safety & equipment ...... 2

Contact details ...... 3

Access to sites ...... 3

Methods & data collection ...... 3

What to do with the data ...... 5

Reference list ...... 7

Appendix 1: Identification of scats ...... 8

Appendix 2: Identification of survey sites ...... 10

Appendix 3: Data sheet & risk scale ...... 18

Acknowledgements

Manual written by Katherine Howard and Rebecca Boyland Methods developed by Craig Pentland and Jack Kinnear

Suggested citation: Howard, K. and Boyland, R. (2018) Wheatbelt Rock-wallaby Community Monitoring Manual: A scat-based monitoring program established by WWF-Australia and the Shire of Kellerberrin, Western Australia. WWF-Australia. Sydney, Australia. Cover image: © Craig Pentland A WWF-Australia production. Published in June 2018 by WWF-Australia (Sydney, Australia). Any reproduction in full or in part must mention the title and credit above-mentioned publisher as the copyright owner.

All rights reserved.

Introduction & objective Black-flanked rock- (Petrogale lateralis lateralis) are small, shy and highly agile macropods, which live in rocky outcrops and caves. They are most active during dusk and throughout the night, when they leave their shelters to feed on grasses, leaves, bark and fruit while never straying too far from cover. They may also be quite active within their rock refuge throughout the day, particularly during the cooler months of the year (Craig Pentland pers. comm.).

Black-flanked rock-wallabies grow to just half a metre tall. They have dark brown faces with a pale stripe across each cheek as well as dark grey-brown fur on their backs with a dark stripe running from between the ears to below the shoulders. They have pale fur on their chest with darker fur on their stomach. Their long tail gets darker and slightly bushier towards the tip and their feet are sandy coloured with black toes (Elridge & Pearson, 2008).

Western Australian populations of black-flanked rock-wallabies have undergone a severe decline since European settlement due to habitat fragmentation and introduced foxes and feral cats. Studies have demonstrated that with concerted predator control, isolated populations of rock-wallabies can recover quickly (Kinnear et al., 2010).

In the Western Australian Wheatbelt, black-flanked rock-wallaby populations persist on granite outcrops in nature reserves and on private land. Refer to the rock-wallaby recovery plan (Pearson, 2012) for more detail on each population.

Monitoring of populations of threatened fauna is important to determine if management actions (such as fox baiting) are working. If declines are detected by regular monitoring, management can be altered to counter the threats, for example with increased or more directed baiting. Traditionally, rock-wallabies have been monitored by trapping; however, this is costly and requires specialist equipment and staff, and ethics approval, making it unlikely to be conducted regularly for each population.

One alternative technique that can assist with determining the population trends of Wheatbelt rock-wallabies is monitoring changes in the accumulation of their droppings (scats) at specific sites. This is a relatively cheap, non- invasive technique that can be useful in establishing general changes in the abundance of rock-wallabies and their use of suitable habitat (Pearson, 2012). Scat monitoring is used worldwide to monitor threatened species. This manual outlines a technique that is specific to rock-wallabies and has been designed to be carried out by community volunteers with no need for prior scientific training. Objective

To implement a monitoring program based on scat counts to act as an early warning system for any changes in either rock-wallaby numbers or habitat utilisation at Wheatbelt rock-wallaby colonies. This volunteer program supplements the trap-based monitoring conducted by the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). If a change is detected by this monitoring system, DBCA can conduct further trap-based monitoring at the relevant site(s) to verify the change and act to address it before the population crashes.

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In early 2010, a community scat-based monitoring program was established for the black- flanked rock-wallaby populations in the Central Wheatbelt of Western Australia. It was intended to act as an early warning system to supplement the more robust but infrequent trapping surveys conducted by the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). Over the course of 2010, the volunteer monitoring program detected a decline in scat numbers at what had previously been one of the biggest populations, Nangeen Hill Nature Reserve. The volunteers brought this trend to the attention of DBCA, which responded swiftly to undertake a full trapping census of the population in early 2011. The trapping survey confirmed the trend indicated by the scats – the population had dropped from over 100 to 14 individuals. Follow-up trapping surveys in 2012 and 2013 located only nine and five individuals, respectively. The benefits of community involvement in threatened species monitoring and management have been frequently demonstrated. In this case, the decline at Nangeen Hill was extremely rapid and might not have been detected at all without the scat monitoring program. As it was, it was almost too late to save the rock-wallabies of Nangeen Hill. The DBCA have been working with WWF-Australia, local landholders, the Shire of Kellerberrin, scientists Craig Pentland, David Pearson and Jack Kinnear, and the local N00ngar community to undertake concerted conservation action for the Wheatbelt rock-wallabies. Actions include the construction of a predator-proof fence and removal of all feral predators from Nangeen Hill, weed control and revegetation of an over-grazed meadow to provide food for future generations of rock-wallabies. At the time of writing, the rock-wallaby population of Nangeen Hill is showing signs of recovery.

Volunteer registration & insurance Each participating member of the project must complete a DBCA Volunteer Registration form and submit it to DBCA before taking part in any on-ground activities. Prior to signing the volunteer registration form, each volunteer is expected to familiarise themselves with the DBCA Code of Conduct.

On signing of a DBCA Volunteer Registration form all volunteers are regarded as non-paid DBCA staff for insurance purposes.

Volunteers are to complete time sheets for each site visit or other volunteer activity (registration forms and time sheets can be obtained from DBCA Merredin office).

At least one of the volunteers must be licensed or authorised under a valid Regulation 17 licence to take fauna for scientific purposes in order to collect scats from DBCA-managed land. Safety & equipment All volunteers should wear suitable protective clothing when in the field:

• sturdy walking shoes or boots

• long pants and long sleeves

• hat, sunglasses, sunscreen

• gardening gloves for counting and clearing scats from quadrats. Volunteers must carry a first aid kit at all times and at least one volunteer should have a current Senior First Aid Certificate. A first aid kit has been donated by WWF-Australia and can be obtained from Panda Cottage, WWF- Australia, Herdsman Lake, Wembley WA.

Volunteers should bring their own food and plenty of water for the day. At least one volunteer should carry a mobile phone (there is reasonable mobile coverage at, or not far from, most of the outcrops).

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A camera is required to photograph the quadrats for monitoring vegetation cover – it does not need to have a zoom or long lens. Contact details Contact details are correct at the publication date. Landholder contact details are confidential.

Position Organisation Phone

Species Conservation Manager, Perth WWF-Australia 08 6231 0224 Conservation Officer Flora and Fauna. DBCA, Central Wheatbelt District 08 9041 6004 Must be notified before entering reserves. (Merredin office)

Access to sites The DBCA Merredin office must be informed at least three working days in advance of any monitoring.

The only rock-wallaby site in the Wheatbelt that is open to the public is Kokerbin Rock (not presently part of this monitoring program). Access to all other sites requires a Regulation 4 licence from DBCA or permission from the landholder.

Standard access protocols by visitors to DBCA-managed nature reserves will apply. This includes adhering to dieback and weed hygiene protocols, fire movement bans, and vehicle movements to remain on existing fire access tracks. Contact the DBCA Merredin office (tel. 08 9041 2488) for further information.

No overnight camping is allowed in DBCA-managed nature reserves (this is against the gazetted purpose of nature reserves).

Always leave all gates as you find them.

Spotlighting

Spotlight surveys for rock-wallabies tend to give highly variable results (Craig Pentland, pers. comm.) and are not currently planned. However, should these be undertaken in the future, all the landowners surrounding the applicable DBCA-managed nature reserves must be contacted and informed of any planned spotlight monitoring for black- flanked rock-wallabies at least three working days before the monitoring is to take place. Methods & data collection For this monitoring program it is both the presence and absence of scats and the number of scats found that is important. Presence and absence data will be used for an initial risk assessment, while the abundance data may tell us other important factors over time, such as seasonal changes, and allow us to fine-tune that risk assessment.

Based on historical information available on the Wheatbelt populations we know the locations of the core areas used by the rock-wallabies prior to fox-baiting and the peripheral (expansion) areas used after fox-baiting commenced for each reserve (Kinnear et al. 2010). Craig Pentland’s behavioural ecology studies (Pentland 2014) consistently found scats in the first 2 x 5 m quadrat sections of belt transects laid perpendicular to the rock face, even within known areas of low rock-wallaby numbers.

For each reserve or private land outcrop, a site was chosen at known core and peripheral habitat. For some sites an intermediate habitat site was also chosen, or a second peripheral site. A 2 x 5 m quadrat was established approximately 2 m away from the refuge area (rock face) to estimate the usage of the foraging areas by the resident

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rock-wallabies. A boulder or pile of boulders was also chosen as close as possible to each quadrat within the refuge area, to monitor refuge utilisation. Please find photos related to identifying survey sites in Appendix 2.

The minimum quadrat size recommended is 2 x 5 m and the maximum quadrat size recommended is 5 x 5 m. Each quadrat site has been clearly marked out on photographs and their locations logged using a handheld GPS. Each quadrat is placed approximately 2 m away from rock refuge area to reduce the probability of any scats falling from the rock into the sampling quadrat area. The quadrats are oriented perpendicular to the rock so that the shorter side is facing the rock. The corners of each quadrat are marked out with small wooden stakes. A boulder or pile of boulders is marked with a wooden stake next to the boulder and a photo is taken from the quadrat sampling area.

Scats from each quadrat and associated rock boulder/piles are cleared away and then the site is revisited and sampled (scats counted) 6 weeks later. There is no significant break down of scats within this time, even during winter. Please find information and images related to identification of scats in Appendix 1. Scat counts and related data are to be recorded on a data sheet (Appendix 3).

Scats can be initially cleared from newly established quadrats using a rake (ensuring vegetation is not damaged). On each successive visit, scats are counted and cleared by hand (gloves to be worn). Once counted, scats are cleared (removed) from the quadrat so they are not re-counted on subsequent visits. Cleared scats should be thrown away downhill of the quadrat so they don’t roll or get blown back into the quadrat. Vegetation cover

A photo is taken of each quadrat at the start of each monitoring session prior to disturbing the vegetation as a record of the vegetation cover. The photo should include all four corner stakes and be saved and clearly labelled for future reference. This information can be used to monitor grazing resources. Per cent cover

Per cent cover of bare ground, weeds and grasses (both annual and perennial) within the quadrat are also recorded on the data sheet. This information can be used to not only monitor weeds and plant composition, but also identify food resources available to the rock-wallabies. Risk assessment scale

For each reserve, the following risk assessment scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the lowest risk) will be used:

1. Fresh scats (i.e. deposited since the quadrat/boulder was cleared) found in both the core and peripheral/s quadrats and their associated rock boulder/pile.

2. Fresh scats found in the core quadrats and both the core and peripheral/s associated rock boulder/pile but not the peripheral/s quadrat.

3. Fresh scats found in both the core and peripheral/s rock boulder/pile, but no fresh scats in either the core or peripheral/s quadrat.

4. Fresh scats found only in the associated core area rock boulder/pile.

5. No fresh scats found in all sampled locations within the reserve. When to sample

Scats are counted approximately 6-8 weeks after initial clearing of the quadrats.

Rock-wallaby scats maintain their shape for several months but if the period between surveys is too long, scats may be blown or washed out of quadrats or off rocks by rain.

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What to do with the data The objective of this monitoring protocol is to act as an ‘early warning system’ for detecting change in the rock- wallaby populations that can then be verified via more rigorous trapping surveys, which must be arranged by DBCA.

The number of scats counted at each site is entered into an Excel spreadsheet (Table 1). The number of scats counted is standardised by dividing it by the number of days since the quadrats and rocks were last counted and cleared. The results are then entered into an Excel table (Table 2) and plotted on an Excel chart/graph (Figure 1).

Table 1: Example of raw scat counts entered into a spreadsheet

MOUNT CAROLINE RAW COUNTS Core Peripheral 1 Peripheral 2 Date Risk Core Core Peripheral 1 Peripheral 1 Peripheral 2 Peripheral 2 counted Scale Quadrat Rock Quadrat Rock Quadrat Rock 23/05/2013 0 8 2 15 2 33 1 4/07/2013 17 0 4 0 0 103 3 21/08/2013 7 27 4 7 0 16 2

Table 2: Example of standardised scat count data entered into a spreadsheet

MOUNT CAROLINE STANDARDISED DATA Days Core Peripheral 1 (Prf 1) Peripheral 2 (Prf 2) since Date last Core Core Prf 1 Prf 1 Prf 2 Prf 2 counted count Quadrat Rock Quadrat Rock Quadrat Rock (dslc) "#$%&$' )*#+' .*)/ )*#+' "#$%&$' )*#+' .*)/ )*#+' "#$%&$' )*#+' .*)/ )*#+' 57 23/5/13 ======%,-) %,-) %,-) %,-) %,-) %,-) 17 0 4 42 4/7/13 = 0.404762 = 0 = 0.095238 0 0 2.452381 42 42 42 7 27 48 21/8/13 = 0.145833 = 0.5625 0.833333 0.145833 0 0.333333 48 48

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Figure 1: Standardised scat count results from Nangeen Hill from February 2012 to August 2014

It is important to examine the results after each monitoring session and the trend that has been forming over time. Use a combination of the risk assessment scale and the trend of the standardised scat count chart to assess if the populations appear to be increasing or decreasing in range or number. Look at the quadrat photos and your observations of the sites to assess whether food supplies are in abundance or increasing or decreasing.

Any noticeable change in the risk assessment scale, worrying site observations of food availability or predator presence, or change indicated from plotting the standardised scat counts should be discussed with DBCA at the earliest opportunity to determine any necessary next steps.

A Fauna Return Form must be completed at least annually and returned to the Species and Communities Branch of DBCA as a requirement of the Regulation 17 licence.

Data may be entered at a future date into a new DBCA database.

Hard copy data sheets and quadrat photos are currently stored at WWF-Australia’s Perth office.

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Reference list Eldridge, M.D.B. and D.J. Pearson. (2008). Black-footed Rock-wallaby. In W. Van Dyck and R. Strahan (Eds.), The of Australia (3rd ed) (pp. 376-380). Australia: Reed New Holland.

Inglis R., D. Jolliffe and P. Blechynden. (2008). Draft Species Conservation Plan: Black Flanked Rock Wallaby (Petrogale lateralis lateralis) Conservation Plan for the Central Wheatbelt Populations 2008-2013.

Kinnear J.E., C.J. Krebs, C. Pentland, P. Orell, C. Holme and R. Karvinen. (2010). Predator-baiting experiments for the conservation of rock-wallaby in Western Australia: 25-year review with recent advances. Wildlife Research, 37: 57-67.

O’Malley, C. (2003). Threatened Species Network Black-flanked Rock-wallaby Factsheet. WWF-Australia, Alice Springs. www.wwf.org.au/ArticleDocuments/355/pub-fact-sheet-black-footed-rock-wallaby-1oct03.pdf.aspx?Embed=Y

Pearson, D. (2012). Recovery plan for five species of rock wallabies: Black-footed rock wallaby (Petrogale lateralis), Short-eared rock wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis), (Petrogale burbidgei), (Petrogale concinna) and Rothschild’s rock wallaby (Petrogale rothschildi). Department of Environment and Conservation, Perth.

Pentland, C. (2014) Behavioural ecology of the black-flanked rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralis lateralis); refuge importance in a variable environment. PhD thesis. Edith Cowan University, Perth.

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Appendix 1: Identification of scats Rock-wallaby scats can be easily distinguished from the scats of the other macropods often encountered in Wheatbelt reserves, such as euro ( robustus erubescens) and western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus). However, euro and kangaroo scats are quite difficult to distinguish from each other, so for the purposes of this monitoring program are counted as ‘other macropod’.

Below are some photos of other commonly found scats on the Wheatbelt reserves. Barbara Triggs’ book ‘Tracks, Scats and Other Traces’ (ISBN:9780195550993, published by Oxford University Press) is an invaluable resource for identifying these and other scats and prints that may be encountered. It is useful to have a copy on hand on monitoring trips.

Scat photos

Figure 2: Black-flanked rock-wallaby scats are usually Figure 3: Occasionally, black-flanked rock-wallaby scats are short, cylindrical scats wider at one end with a noticeable joined together in long chains. Attempt to count the ‘tip’ or point at the other. number of individual scats (lumps) in a chain.

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Figure 4: Euro/kangaroo scats – generally boxy or square Figure 5: Rabbit scats - round and pea-sized in shape

Figure 6: Echidna scats - typically full of sand and ant heads and truncate sharply

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Appendix 2: Identification of survey sites Below are photos identifying the core and peripheral areas, transects and rock boulder/piles for each of the rock- wallaby monitoring sites.

Mt Caroline Nature Reserve

Figure 6: Mt Caroline Core overview (arrow indicating rock) Figure 7: Mt Caroline Core Rock top-view

Figure 8: Mt Caroline Peripheral 1 Quadrat (Rock is at very top Figure 9: Mt Caroline Peripheral 1 Rock left of image)

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Figure 10: Mt Caroline Peripheral 1 top-view of Rock Figure 11: Mount Caroline Peripheral 2 overview of site

Figure 12: Mt Caroline Peripheral 2 Rock Figure 13: Mt Caroline Peripheral 2 Rock from top

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Gundaring Nature Reserve

Figure 14: Gundaring Core overview Figure 15: Gundaring Core rock view from quadrat

Figure 16: Gundaring Core rock view from top with quadrat at rear

Figure 17: Gundaring Peripheral overview Figure 18: Gundaring Peripheral Rock view from top

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Nangeen Hill Nature Reserve

Figure 19: Nangeen Core overview Figure 20: Nangeen Core Rock top-view

Figure 21: Nangeen Peripheral overview Figure 22: Nangeen Peripheral Rock

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Figure 23: Nangeen Intermediate overview Figure 24: Nangeen Intermediate Rock from left-hand side

Figure 25: Nangeen Intermediate Rock view from top Figure 26: Nangeen Intermediate Rock view from top ("Y" shaped ledge)

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Sales Rock

Figure 27: Sales Rock Core site from the fence Figure 28: Sales Rock Core site overview – quadrat in the foreground and rock pile stake at the rear

Figure 29: Sales Rock Core view from the bottom

Figure 30: Sales Rock Core view from the top

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Figure 31: Sales Peripheral 1 Rock overview (arrow Figure 32: Sales Peripheral 1 Rock from above indicates rock)

Figure 33: Sales Peripheral 2 Rock from above Figure 34: Sales Peripheral 2 Rock from below

Figure 35: Sales Peripheral 2 Rock overview

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Mt Stirling

Figure 36: Mt Stirling Core overview showing Figure 37: Mt Stirling Core Rocks =2 perch rocks quadrat & cave (arrow indicates direction of rock) with stake at front rock

Figure 38: Mount Stirling Core Rock #1 (arrow shows scats in rock crack)

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Figure 39: Mt Stirling Peripheral overview Figure 40: Mt Stirling Peripheral rock pile view quadrat & rock pile. Rock pile indicated by from bottom arrow

Figure 41: Mt Stirling Peripheral rock pile view from top

Appendix 3: Data sheet & risk scale Photocopy sufficient pages for each data collection trip (one per site) plus a couple of spares.

Wheatbelt Rock-wallaby Community Monitoring Manual page 18 Wheatbelt rock-wallaby scat monitoring data sheet

Date Scats Date Quadrats Names of Surveyors: Database Data Entered Site: Collected: Cleared: (tick)

Scat Results

DEC Fauna Returns

Core Intermediate Peripheral

Photo: Photo: Photo: Rock Rock RISK Quadrat Rock Refuge Quadrat Quadrat Refuge Refuge SCALEi Rock-

wallaby

Other Scat Count macropod

Rabbit

% Bare Ground

% Weeds &

Type ii % Grass & Annual/ Perennial

Rock-

wallabies

Other Other iii Observations herbivores

Carnivores

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i RISK SCALE 1. Fresh scats (i.e. deposited since the quadrat/boulder was cleared) found in both the core and peripheral/s quadrats and their associated rock boulder/pile. 2. Fresh scats found in the core quadrats and both the core and peripheral/s associated rock boulder/pile but not the peripheral/s quadrat. 3. Fresh scats found in both the core and peripheral/s rock boulder/pile, but no fresh scats in either the core or peripheral/s quadrat. 4. Fresh scats found in the associated core area rock boulder/pile only. 5. No fresh scats found in all sampled locations within the reserve.

ii Weed species commonly seen at the rock-wallaby sites include Cleretum papulosum, cape weed, stagger weed, camel melons.

iii Note any evidence of other herbivores or predators, e.g. direct sightings, scats, feathers, carcasses. Note any direct sightings of rock-wallabies.

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